Peasant Girl Bookseller

Chapter 30 Retirement

A lot of cloth and baby's shoes and hats were piled up on the kang of the Cao family. It seems that the Cao family did have a few wealthy relatives at this time, because the cloth was either silk or fine cotton, and the baby's There is also a small gold lock around the neck.

"Mai Xiang, you are here, thank you for what happened that day." Cao Xueqin said with a smile.

He already knew that Mai Xiang had comforted and taken care of Liu Huilan, and he also knew from Dun Cheng and Dun Min that it was Mai Xiang who ordered one of them to pick up Mrs. Wen, so he really thanked Mai Xiang and did not take Mai Xiang. Xiang looks like a child.

"Sir, you are too polite. I left without saying congratulations to my husband that day. My husband was really happy that day. I have never seen him so excited. I can really describe it as ecstatic."

"Hey, our Mai Xiang really learned a few idioms from your aunt, and I'm overjoyed to know it." After Cao Xueqin finished speaking, she laughed a few times and went to the opposite room.

"Mai Xiang, come and sit down." Liu Huilan felt that Mai Xiang was really a lucky general, and she kept comforting her that day that she would be safe for mother and child, but she never expected it to be so smooth.

"Auntie, is Mister an only child? Don't you have any parents?" Seeing that Liu Huilan was happy, Mai Xiang asked.

"Why do you ask that?"

"That day my husband was so excited that he cried. I was a little curious when he said that 'old ladies also have queens'."

"Mr. is a posthumous child. He grew up with his grandmother and adoptive uncle. That's why he is like this."

"Oh, what a pitiful sir." Mai Xiang finally confirmed that Cao Xueqin's biological father was Cao Yong.

Although Mai Xiang still had a lot of questions, unfortunately, she didn't dare to ask any more, so as not to arouse Liu Huilan's sadness and suspicion, so she used the child as a distraction, anyway, there will be opportunities in the future.

When Mai Xiang returned home, Mrs. Zhao was not there, so Mai Huang took Mai Qing and Mai Lu to play with counting stones on the kang.

Seeing her, Mai Xiang asked, "Where's your mother?"

"Go to the room. Big sister, aren't you ready to talk to mother?" Mai Huang came over and asked.

After seeing off Mrs. Shi that day, Mai Xiang didn't talk to Mrs. Zhao for two days. When she thought of her asking Mai Xiang who should pay for her future work with a smile, Mai Xiang couldn't help being annoyed. Xinzi, but Mrs. Zhao doesn't know, this is her own daughter!

"Eldest sister, mother's snacks are gone, mother dare not tell you, she is secretly hungry." Seeing that Mai Xiang was silent, Mai Huang said again.

This is a problem, no matter how unwilling Mai Xiang is to talk to Mrs. Zhao, she can't starve the child in her belly.

Mai Xiang unpacked the box and took five cents, gave it to Mai Huang, and said, "Take Mai Qing to the shop at the entrance of the village to buy a few pieces of Saqima. Go early and come back early, be smart."

Seeing that Mai Xiang taught her such an important task, Mai Huang's brows were frowned with joy, and he took Mai Qing's hand and ran out.

As soon as Maihuang left, Mrs. Zhao came in, and seeing Maixiang was the only one with Mailu, she asked, "Where are Erya and Sanya?"

Mai Xiang didn't speak, and Mai Lu said childishly: "Mother, the eldest sister gave me money, and the second and third sisters bought some snacks."

After hearing this, Mrs. Zhao sat in front of Mai Xiang, patted Mai Xiang's head, and said, "Girl, I really have no intention of betraying you. Don't worry, no matter how difficult or poor life is in the future, I will never betray you." You, I swear."

Seeing that Zhao's eyes were red, Mai Xiang asked, "If you don't sell me, what about the younger sisters?"

"Don't sell, don't sell, don't sell a single one, if you want to die together, if you want to live together, no one will sell." Mrs. Zhao was left in the cold by Mai Xiang for a few days, feeling unhappy.

After all, it's better for my daughter, as soon as I heard that my snacks were gone, I hurried to buy them with money, who else could miss me so much?The benefits of selling a girl belong to everyone, but if the girl is gone, who will feel sorry for themselves?
Mrs. Zhao also understood this truth now, and took Mai Xiang's hand and began to cry.

"Why are you crying?" Mai Xiang asked.

"Wuwu, you ignored me these two days, I don't feel at ease, and your father is not at home, I'm afraid you don't care about me." Zhao Shi is also a person who is tough on the outside and soft on the inside, she knows that she has no ability , I used to rely on my husband, but now my daughter can also rely on it, and I don't even bother to worry about it.

At dinner, Mrs. Liu was relieved to see that Mai Xiang finally reunited with Mrs. Zhao's mother and daughter. She has been worrying about her for the past two days. She did not expect that Mai Xiang is so childish that even she has to suffer. .

Lying on the kang at night, Mrs. Liu learned everything about Mai Xiang from Ye Tiezhu in the past few days.

Ye Tiezhu was very happy, and said with a smile: "That's fine, people who will enter Wanjia Province in the future will say that our children can't do anything."

"The horoscope has not been written yet, but you think it is very good. I said, the child's father, if the Wan family really comes to propose marriage, can't they marry Jiufeng to their grandson? We are the next generation shorter, It is true that children can marry into a good family.”

No matter how much Liu thinks about her Jiufeng, she misses Wan's family because of Ye's conditions. It is even more difficult for Jiufeng to find a good family.

"Let's talk about it. It will take another two years. His grandson is only fifteen or sixteen years old this year. How could he propose marriage so soon?" Ye Tiezhu felt that it was inappropriate. How would he explain to others then?Could it be that the buddies really became uncles and nephews?
That night, Ye Tiezhu didn't sleep well.

Early the next morning, it was time for Mai Xiang to make breakfast. When Mai Xiang came out to feed the cows, Er Fu and San Fu came back pulling a lot of willow sticks. It seemed that they were planning to sell small baskets.

It turns out that weaving baskets is not a technical job, as a rural person can almost weave, but there are some technical differences.

Wu Fu also got up, and seeing the second and third brothers entering the door carrying a bunch of wicker sticks, he also hurried out to pull a bunch of wicker sticks back, and weaved six small baskets for Mai Xiang.

Mai Xiang was not in a hurry to go out because she was going to cook, but Qian and Sun went out early with a few small willow baskets.

When Mrs. Zhao saw it, she was so angry that she cursed in the room, and complained that Mrs. Liu shouldn't have said that sentence, whoever wants to sell it will sell it. This is a good thing, and a way to make money that I found so hard was also snatched away by others. .It was Mai Xiang who persuaded her a few words.

After breakfast, when Mai Xiang was about to go out, a carriage came to the house. When Mai Xiang was wondering when the Ye family would have rich relatives, a man in his 30s wearing a brown long-shou tuan pattern robe got off the carriage and followed him. Two boys.The boy held several gift boxes in his hands.

The other party stared at Mai Xiang for a few times, Mai Xiang was puzzled, and suddenly heard Zhao's voice behind: "Oh, it's Brother Chengyao from the Wan family, I haven't seen you for many years, brother is really not at all. Haven't seen the old?"

"You are?" It's a pity that the other party doesn't know Mrs. Zhao anymore.

"I'm Dafu's wife, don't you know me?" Mrs. Zhao asked, patting her chest.

"Oh, it's Dafu brother and sister, is this your eldest daughter?" The other party pointed to Mai Xiang and asked.

"No, this is the boss of my family, big girl, come on, come and call Uncle Wan." Mrs. Zhao pushed Mai Xiang over.

Seeing the other party looking at her with disgust, Mai Xiang frowned especially when she heard the word "big girl", and she felt conflicted in her heart. I would like to spit it out.

Coincidentally, at this time, Mrs. Liu lifted the curtain and came out, and she also heard the movement.

"Auntie, do you still remember me? I belong to Changhe Wan's family." The other party recognized Liu.

"Oh, remember, remember, it turned out to be the elder nephew Cheng Yao, come on, sit in the room quickly, your parents are okay."

When Mai Xiang heard about Chang and Wan's family, she suddenly remembered the old lady who asked her to make a wish for her. Could it be Wan Chengyao's mother-in-law?What is the relationship between the Wan family and your own family?Also, why did he stare at him so hard?

Could it be another family who wants to buy herself to be a maid?No, he is a relative of the Ye family, how can there be any reason to go to a relative's house to buy someone?Mai Xiang shook her head, rejecting the idea.

At this time, both Er Fu and San Fu came out. They played with Wan Chengyao when they were young. It was only later that they became popular, and the two families gradually stopped moving around. But when San Fu got married, The Wan family also sent someone to send a generous gift, and after that, they didn't move around.

Everyone embraced Wan Chengyao and entered the upper room, even Mrs. Zhao followed.

"Second Uncle, I should have come to see you and Second Aunt a long time ago, but something happened at home, and I couldn't get away from him until now. I hope Second Uncle and Second Aunt don't blame us." It was the son of the Wan family who spoke. .

"Chengyao, if you can come, we will be satisfied. I heard that you have been successful in these years and became an official. I didn't expect you to come to see your second uncle. Second uncle is satisfied." Ye Tiezhu said.

Wan Chengyao exchanged some pleasantries, and the two families greeted each other again. Wan Chengyao suddenly said, "Second Uncle, I'm here today to discuss something with you."

After Wan Chengyao said this, he didn't continue, obviously wanting everyone to avoid it.

Er Fu and San Fu didn't wait for the adults to speak, they all found an excuse to come out, and Ba Fu and Jiu Feng also followed Mrs. Zhao into the room here.While listening to them talking about Wanjia, Mai Xiang was weaving the net in her hand.

At this time, the upper room was silent for a while.

"You have something to say." Ye Tiezhu spoke first, his premonition was not very good.

"Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I just filled a vacancy and I am going to take up a post in the south. My parents are getting old, so they will go with me this time. In the future, I don't know when I will come back to see my second uncle and aunt again. .”

Although Wan Chengyao said it very implicitly, Ye Tiezhu understood it, and Liu Shi also understood it, "I don't know when I will see my second uncle and aunt next time", that is to say, he didn't want to marry your Ye family at all. relatives by marriage!
"Is this what your father meant?" Ye Tiezhu asked with a dark face.

"Yes, father, the old man feels very ashamed of his second uncle, so he sent his nephew here. I hope that my second uncle will take care of me. There is a reason for this, and we have no choice. I don't know how many years it will take to leave. This is also for the children. Are you planning to?"

(End of this chapter)